


Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

by PresidentofGallifrey



Category: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - John Le Carré
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 02:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13560771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PresidentofGallifrey/pseuds/PresidentofGallifrey
Summary: Peter had to suppress a sigh. He’d been at Brixton nearly a month and had yet to see what was so terrifying about Fawn.





	Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

The common room at Brixton was never quiet. Ping pong, snooker and cards were just part of a ever growing list of things the scalphunters used to while away the hours.  Peter had once walked in to find Ricki Tarr, the most accident prone of the scalphunters, standing on top of the snooker table with only his trousers on while the others cheered.

 So it came as quite a surprise when he opened the door and found the room completely silent.

  
Fawn was curled up in an armchair, fast asleep. Tarr and the other scalphunters were playing cards at the far side of the room, as far away from Fawn as they could possibly get without actually leaving the room.

  
Peter had to suppress a sigh. He’d been at Brixton nearly a month and had yet to see what was so terrifying about Fawn. As far as he could tell, Fawn was a quiet little thing who wanted nothing more than to please.

  
‘I wouldn’t do that, Mr Guillam.’ Tarr said as Peter leaned forward to pat Fawn on the shoulder.

  
‘Why’s that.’

  
‘Fawn gets…cranky…when he doesn’t take his nap.’

  
Peter rolled his eyes. ‘How old is he?Five?’

  
Tarr shrugged. ‘Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.’ The other scalphunters had looked up too.

  
The next few seconds happened in a blur. When the horror of what he had done had sunk in, Peter found his wrist in a vicious grip, pain shooting up his arm.

  
Looking back, what shocked him wasn’t the strength concealed in Fawn’s unassuming stature. It was the look of indifference in his eyes. Peter had no doubt that Fawn would have broken his wrist as easily as a twig and felt no remorse. For the first time, Peter had an inkling of the reason behind the others’ fear.

  
Then, as quickly as he had grabbed him, Fawn let go. Peter might have convinced himself that he had imagined it if it hadn’t been for the throbbing pain.

  
Fawn looked up at him, quiet and innocent.

  
Peter tried to ignore the sniggering coming from the other side of the room. He coughed and tried to put on his best ‘headman’ voice.

  
‘Fawn, I have a job for you.’

  
Fawn stood up and trotted after him like an obedient dog as Peter turned to leave.

  
The scalphunters’ laughter folllowed him all the way out.


End file.
